Throckmorton

Just a brief entry this time, as it was a quiet weekend as far as birding was concerned.

We had a wander around Throckmorton in Worcestershire yesterday. We were slightly familiar with this place, having dipped the Turtle Doves here earlier this year. It's well known for gulls in the winter, so it seemed like time for another look.

The orchard was alive with Thrush activity; mostly Fieldfare, but also smaller numbers of Redwing present, a few Blackbirds and a single Mistle Thrush. A number of Chaffinch kept dropping to the orchard floor to feed, so I kept a beady eye on them in case they had Brambling with them (they didn't).

I think the gulls are sometimes seen roosting and bathing on the shallow lagoons, but there were only a few Black Headed Gulls to be seen here, plus the likes of a few Tufties, 1 GC Grebe and a Little Grebe. A couple of Ravens were overhead.

Venturing further, we walked up the hill where you can see over towards the rubbish tip and the disused airfield. Hundreds of Gulls lined the runways, mainly large gulls containing three adult Yellow Legged Gulls, a few Great Black Backed Gulls, plus Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. Quite a few Ravens were about and we must have seen at least 10 throughout the visit, some cracking views too, which you don't often get with Ravens.

Other stuff seen throughout the visit included a Stonechat, Meadow Pipits, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Cormorants (over), Buzzard, Kestrel and 3 Roe Deer.